Toy



July 8, 1941. v E. M. BLEEKER 4 2 TOY Filed March 12, 1940 INVENTOR.

i ZZZa A1. Bleecirez: 10 19 BY f I Patented July 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE I TOY Etta M. Bleecker, Massapequa, N. Y.

Application March 12, 1940, Serial No. 323,550

. 4 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanically operated, animated toys, and particularly to a toy-- adapted to simulate a skiing figure.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, easily operable skiing toy, consisting of a figure-supporting structure provided with a mechanism for propelling it, and'which structure includes means for removably securing thereto an articulated figure,

the arms of which become operative when the toy is in motion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a skiing toy consisting of a figure-supporting structure comprising a pair of spaced, fixedly united skis or runners, and movable ski poles for propelling the toy and means for actuating the ski poles so that their operation will cause the movement of the toy forwards.

The foregoing and other important objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the ensuing description and the accompanying drawing, in which latter Figure 1 is-a perspective view of an embodiment of my toy substantially in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an end view of Figure 1 with the toy figure removed.

' Figure 3 is a partial, enlarged'top View of the toy with its driving mechanism shown in section.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the operating mechanism of the toy.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatical side elevation of I the toy propelling mechanism.

Figure 6 is a perspective detail view of the actuating portion of the mechanism, and

Figure 7 is a plan view of a pair of skis or runners arranged to cause the movement of the toy in an arc.

Referring now specifically to the figures. numeral l denotes the two skis or rlmners employed in my device, which are spaced and :simultaneouslyheld together by a fixed yoke-shaped frame H, which frame supports a spring mechanism l2 for actuating the toy. Frame II is provided with a relatively extensive solid top portion, at the rear face of which said mechanism.

is attached so as'to be readily accessible. Extending through an opening provided in the solid top portion of frame ll, above runners I0, is a pair of arms I3, which latter are adapted to be simultaneously operated in an up-and-down swing motion by mechanism l2. At the ends of arms l3 are pivotally secured at I 4 two ski poles in a forward direction when arms iii are descending. This operation is clearly illustrated in Figure 5. Arms l3 are shown in that figure in full lines in their uppermost position, at which position of the arms ski poles l5 are shown to be slightly inclined in respect to the support upon which skis l0 rest. As the arms are being brought to their lower-most, broken-line .positlon, the ski poles gradually change their position and finally assume their extreme, sharply inclined broken-line position. Since the points of the ski poles engage the supporting surface of the toy and do not change their position, the swinging movement of the poles will propel the toy in a forward direction.

Upon a fairly smooth surface, runners Ill will continue to move forward after each operation of the arms and poles, and the toy movement will be fairly continuous; when, however, the toy operates upon a rough supporting surface, its movement will become Jerky since the toy will stop after each propulsion period. For this reason Ipre'fer to employ friction-reducing elements for supporting runners l0. As an example of such friction-reducing elements I have shown wheels l6, which are so arranged as to raise the runners above their supporting surface. To

facilitate the mounting of wheels I6, suitable lugs I! are stamped out from the runner material and are provided with openings for the reception of shafts l8, to which latter the wheels l6 are attached. Although wheels l6 are shown employed for supporting the runners, any other friction reducing elements may be conveniently substituted, such as balls or rollers.

In order to render the toy more realistic, I prefer to remov'ably associate with the mechanical supporting part of the toy an articulated figure, wherein at least the arms are readily movable to-simulate body motion when arms l3 are operated. For the purpose of facilitating the attachment of a figure, I provide with the runners suitable foot engaging clips l9, and similar clips 20 for accommodating the forearms of the toy. Another larger clip 2| is associated with frame II for engaging the torso of the figure. This torso clip extends from the inner surface of the solid top portion of the frame and is so disposed as to readily facilitate the insertion into and the removal from said clip of a toy figure.

The actuating mechanism of the toy, indicated by numeral I2, is preferably in the form of a hand-wound spring motor, wherein-crank 22 is employed to engage the joined ends 23 of arms i5,-which are so arranged as to propel the toy I3. By the rotary motion of crank 22, arms I3 are caused to swing in an up-and-down direction, which movement is transmitted to ski poles I5 for the propulsion of the toy.

When the supporting rollers I6 of runners I. are mounted upon shafts l8 so that these shafts are parallel to one another, the toy will move in a straight line forwards. When, however, shafts l8 are set at an angle in the manner illustrated in Figure 7, the toy will move in an are or a portion of a circle. Depending upon the angle at which shafts I8 are set, the toy movement may be readily controlled, and it is therefore possible to cause the toy to move in a circle or describe in its movement any desired curve. It is also possible to advance one runner in respect to the other runner, whereby similar results may be obtained.

While I have shown and described a specific construction of my toy, it is quite obvious that changes and improvements may be readily brought about in order to facilitate the manufacture of the toy at the least possible expenditure, and I therefore reserve for myself the right to make such changes therein without departing from the broad scope of my invention as defined in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In a mechanical toy, a pair of ski runners, a substantially yoke-shaped frame connecting and spacing them and having a solid top portion, a mechanism mounted at the exterior surface of the solid top portion of the frame, a pair of arms extending from and operative by said mechanism in an up-and-down swinging motion, said arms passing through an opening provided in the frame top portion, ski poles operatively attached to the ends of the arms, means forremovably securing a figure to the frame by way of its torso, and a plurality of means for removably attaching the arms of a figure to'the arms of the mechanism and the feet of the figure to the ski runners.

2. In a mechanical toy, the combination with a removably mounted figure, of a pair of ski runners, a frame connecting and spacing them, a mechanism associated with the frame, a pair of arms extending from and being operated by said mechanism in an up-afid-down swinging motion, ski poles hinged at and freely depending from said arms, and means for removably securing the figure to the frame, the arms andthe ki runners.

3. In a mechanical toy for supporting and animating a figure simulating a skier, a pair of ski runners, a substantially yoke-shaped frame connecting and spacing them, saidframe having a large, solid upper portion, a mechanism secured to said upper portion of the frame, a pair of ski poles operated by and hingedly connected with said mechanism, and a plurality of means for facilitating the removable attachment of the arms, feet and body of a figure to'the ski poles, ski runners and the frame, respectively.

4. In a skiing toy, fixed runners connected by a frame, a toy operating mechanism supported by said frame, ski poles pivotally connected with, and movable relative to said mechanism and mounted above and exteriorly to the runners, and adapted to swing in a combination of up-anddown and slanting motions, and a plurality of means for removably securing a figure to the frame, the runners and the ski-pole operating mechanism.

E'I'I'A M. BLEECKER. 

